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A Latter-day Saint Perspective on Muhammad Mormon-(OPEN)
Ensign Magazine ^ | August, 2000 | James A. Toronto,

Posted on 08/15/2010 2:44:17 PM PDT by greyfoxx39

Latter-day Saint Interest in Muhammad

One of the noteworthy examples of the Latter-day Saint commitment to treasure up true principles and cultivate affirmative gratitude is the admiration that Church leaders have expressed over the years for the spiritual contributions of Muhammad.

As early as 1855, at a time when Christian literature generally ridiculed Muhammad as the Antichrist and the archenemy of Western civilization, Elders George A. Smith (1817–75) and Parley P. Pratt (1807–57) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles delivered lengthy sermons demonstrating an accurate and balanced understanding of Islamic history and speaking highly of Muhammad’s leadership. Elder Smith observed that Muhammad was “descended from Abraham and was no doubt raised up by God on purpose” to preach against idolatry. He sympathized with the plight of Muslims, who, like Latter-day Saints, found it difficult “to get an honest history” written about them. Speaking next, Elder Pratt went on to express his admiration for Muhammad’s teachings, asserting that “upon the whole, … [Muslims] have better morals and better institutions than many Christian nations.” 9

Latter-day Saint appreciation of Muhammad’s role in history can also be found in the 1978 First Presidency statement regarding God’s love for all mankind. This declaration specifically mentions Muhammad as one of “the great religious leaders of the world” who received “a portion of God’s light” and affirms that “moral truths were given to [these leaders] by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals.” 10

In recent years, respect for the spiritual legacy of Muhammad and for the religious values of the Islamic community has led to increasing contact and cooperation between Latter-day Saints and Muslims around the world. This is due in part to the presence of Latter-day Saint congregations in areas such as the Levant, North Africa, the Persian Gulf, and Southeast Asia. The Church has sought to respect Islamic laws and traditions that prohibit conversion of Muslims to other faiths by adopting a policy of nonproselyting in Islamic countries of the Middle East. Yet examples of dialogue and cooperation abound, including visits of Muslim dignitaries at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City; Muslim use of Church canning facilities to produce halal (ritually clean) food products; Church humanitarian aid and disaster relief sent to predominantly Muslim areas including Jordan, Kosovo, and Turkey; academic agreements between Brigham Young University and various educational and governmental institutions in the Islamic world; the existence of the Muslim Student Association at BYU; and expanding collaboration between the Church and Islamic organizations to safeguard traditional family values worldwide. 11 The recent initiation of the Islamic Translation Series, cosponsored by BYU and the Church, has resulted in several significant exchanges between Muslim officials and Latter-day Saint Church leaders. A Muslim ambassador to the United Nations predicted that this translation series “will play a positive role in the West’s quest for a better understanding of Islam.” 12

A cabinet minister in Egypt, aware of the common ground shared by Muslims and Latter-day Saints, once remarked to Elder Howard W. Hunter of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles that “if a bridge is ever built between Christianity and Islam it must be built by the Mormon Church.” 13 The examples of Latter-day Saint–Muslim interaction mentioned above, together with the Church’s establishment in 1989 of two major centers for educational and cultural exchange in the Middle East (Jerusalem and Amman), reflect the traditional attitude of respect for Islam that Church leaders have exhibited from earliest times. These activities represent tangible evidence of Latter-day Saint commitment to promote greater understanding of the Muslim world and witness an emerging role for the Church in helping to bridge the gap that has existed historically between Muslims and Christians.



TOPICS: Apologetics; Current Events; General Discusssion; Other non-Christian
KEYWORDS: beck; glennbeck; inman; islam; lds; mormon; muslim
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To: Normandy
For example, if a couple are sealed and for some reason the husband falls from grace, it would have no effect on the exaltation of the wife.

God would just pick out some other "worthy" man and he would become her "exaltation partner", correct? A woman would STILL have to depend on a man for her exaltation?

261 posted on 08/17/2010 9:14:12 AM PDT by greyfoxx39 (BARF of the YEAR: Obama "We are God's partners in matters of life and death,")
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To: greyfoxx39

It works both ways, greyfoxx. You can’t be exalted singly — a man has to depend on a woman for his exaltation.


262 posted on 08/17/2010 9:17:50 AM PDT by Normandy
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To: Normandy
Any man or any woman who is faithful to the Lord and obeys the gospel are assured of exaltation. For example, if a couple are sealed and for some reason the husband falls from grace, it would have no effect on the exaltation of the wife.

Norm, you just got done saying that only a man and woman together can attain exaltation. Now you admit that a non-believing husband will impact the wife's ability to be exalted (find some way - undocumented). In the young women's manual it clearly states

After the endowment, what other ordinance performed in the temple is necessary for exaltation? (Temple marriage; see D&C 131:1–4.) Then again mormon apostle McConkie was also clear that simply having this celestial marriage is no guarantee of exaltation (The Seven Deadly Heresies).

So from official lds teaching sources you are not correct - Any man or any woman who is faithful to the Lord and obeys the gospel are assured of exaltation. is not the truth.

263 posted on 08/17/2010 9:26:17 AM PDT by Godzilla ( 3-7-77)
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To: greyfoxx39
I'm scratching my head, wondering why the mormons aren't demanding a seat at the table of islam instead of Christianity, since they have this mutual admiration society and so much in common.

Brilliant just brilliant.

264 posted on 08/17/2010 10:04:41 AM PDT by svcw (Everyday the enemy tries to offer you an apple, when God has already given us an orchard.)
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To: Elsie
Is it even worth the time to try and be rational with a leucotomy person.
265 posted on 08/17/2010 10:12:56 AM PDT by svcw (Everyday the enemy tries to offer you an apple, when God has already given us an orchard.)
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To: Normandy

You can’t be exalted singly — a man has to depend on a woman for his exaltation.
________________________________________

Not according to the mormons...

Joey smith just hands out new women if a mormon male turns up without any...

Heber C Kimball, a member of the First Presidency, had forty-five wives, but he claimed that in the resurrection he would be able to have thousands:

Supposing that I have a wife or a dozen of them, and she should say, “You cannot be exalted without me,” and suppose they all should say so, what of that? ... Suppose that I lose the whole of them before I go into the spirit world, but that I have been a good, faithful man ... do you think I will be destitute there. No, the Lord says there are more there than there are here ... there are millions of them, ... we will go to brother Joseph and say, “Here we are brother Joseph; we are here ourselves are we not, with none of the property we possessed in our probationary state, not even the rings on our fingers?” He will say to us, “Come along, my boys, we will give you a good suit of clothes. Where are your wives?” “They are back yonder; they would not follow us.” “Never mind,” says Joseph, “Here are thousands, have all you want” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, p.209).


266 posted on 08/17/2010 10:20:55 AM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: Normandy
It works both ways, greyfoxx. You can’t be exalted singly — a man has to depend on a woman for his exaltation.

Oh....then why can't a woman call a man through the veil?

How did Jesus reach exaltation". How did He "depend" on a woman? Remember, He was a man like you.

267 posted on 08/17/2010 10:21:09 AM PDT by greyfoxx39 (BARF of the YEAR: Obama "We are God's partners in matters of life and death,")
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To: Normandy

BTW Norm, you didn’t answer this question: “God would just pick out some other “worthy” man and he would become her “exaltation partner”, correct?”


268 posted on 08/17/2010 10:22:42 AM PDT by greyfoxx39 (BARF of the YEAR: Obama "We are God's partners in matters of life and death,")
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To: Normandy

You can’t be exalted singly — a man has to depend on a woman for his exaltation.
________________________________________

Actually make that “lots of women”

“The only men who become Gods, even the sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy... I heard the revelation on polygamy, and I believed it with all my heart … ‘Do you think that we shall ever be admitted as a State into the Union without denying the principle of polygamy?’ If we are not admitted until then, we shall never be admitted.” ( Brigham Young, August 19th, 1866, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, page 269)


269 posted on 08/17/2010 10:23:35 AM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: svcw
Is it even worth the time to try and be rational with a leucotomy person.

hmmmmmm

270 posted on 08/17/2010 10:31:25 AM PDT by greyfoxx39 (BARF of the YEAR: Obama "We are God's partners in matters of life and death,")
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To: ejonesie22

ELEPHANT?

I thought it was a CURELOM!


271 posted on 08/17/2010 10:34:53 AM PDT by Elsie
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To: Normandy
Hi SZ, I am sure you know that LDS doctrine teaches that only a man and a woman sealed for eternity can attain exaltation — or godhood.

So then; in MORMONism, SINGLES need not apply?

Poor St. Paul!

One would think that HE would SURELY get it!!


1 Corinthians 7:8
To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain single as I do.

272 posted on 08/17/2010 10:40:45 AM PDT by Elsie
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To: Normandy
Male and female were created together and are intended to be together in the marriage relationship throughout eternity.

NOT according to the BIBLE:

Romans 7:2

For example, by law a married woman is bound to her ...But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. ... is bound to the law. But if her husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.


Should we presume that in a MORMON wedding ceremony; the words 'until death do us part.' are not uttered?

273 posted on 08/17/2010 10:44:25 AM PDT by Elsie
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To: ejonesie22
Arrogance does not equate to competence...

But arrogance DOES equate to comeupance!

274 posted on 08/17/2010 10:45:45 AM PDT by Elsie
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To: Elsie

Good point. I was stuck in reality for a bit...


275 posted on 08/17/2010 10:47:57 AM PDT by ejonesie22 (Christians: Stand for Christ or stand aside...)
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To: Normandy
We believe that God is perfectly fair and generous, and will provide a way for the wife to enjoy all the blessings he has to bestow.

Is there a TEMPLE ORDANANCE for that?

After all; ANY religion that cares SO much for DEAD people that MIGHT not have 'heard the GOSPEL' (according to Moroni) would SURELY have something in place: like GOD parents for children - MORMON god-husbands for luckless wives.


Yoo Hoo!

I don't know your name; but Come On Down: the Price is Right!

276 posted on 08/17/2010 10:50:11 AM PDT by Elsie
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To: svcw

I’d rather have a bottle in front of me...


277 posted on 08/17/2010 10:51:34 AM PDT by Elsie
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To: Tennessee Nana
Supposing that I have a wife or a dozen of them, and she should say, “You cannot be exalted without me,” and suppose they all should say so, what of that? ...

Suppose that I lose the whole of them before I go into the spirit world, but that I have been a good, faithful man ... do you think I will be destitute there.

No, the Lord says there are more there than there are here ... there are millions of them,

... we will go to brother Joseph and say, “Here we are brother Joseph; we are here ourselves are we not, with none of the property we possessed in our probationary state, not even the rings on our fingers?”

He will say to us, “Come along, my boys, we will give you a good suit of clothes. Where are your wives?”

“They are back yonder; they would not follow us.”

“Never mind,” says Joseph, “Here are thousands, have all you want”

(Journal of Discourses, vol. 4, p.209).

278 posted on 08/17/2010 10:54:02 AM PDT by Elsie
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To: Tennessee Nana
“The only men who become Gods, even the sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy... I heard the revelation on polygamy, and I believed it with all my heart … ‘Do you think that we shall ever be admitted as a State into the Union without denying the principle of polygamy?’ If we are not admitted until then, we shall never be admitted.”

( Brigham Young, August 19th, 1866, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, page 269)

279 posted on 08/17/2010 10:55:37 AM PDT by Elsie
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To: Tennessee Nana
‘Do you think that we shall ever be admitted as a State into the Union without denying the principle of polygamy?’ If we are not admitted until then, we shall never be admitted.”

I guess BY was merely speaking as a man - NOT a PROPHET!

280 posted on 08/17/2010 10:56:40 AM PDT by Elsie
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